Two studies are proposed to examine the development of attention and memory deficits in the academic difficulties of language/learning disabled children (L/LDs.) I propose to go beyond the mere documentation of differences between L/LDs and non L/LDs in memory and attention and look at underlying characteristics of memory and attention. specifically, I outline two methodologies to answer such questions as "Do L/LDs differ from non L/LDs in the way they encode, store, or retrieve information? Do L/LDs differ from non L/LDs in the manner in which they automatically activate their attention? And finally, can L/LDs be diagnosed early, enhancing their chances if remediation? In sutdy #1, carefully chosen L/LDs will be asked to participate in several auditory and visual memory experiments. Their performances will be subjected to a form of analysis which permits us to localize independent memory deficits at the encoding, storage and retrieval stages. In preliminary studies I have developed a sed of statisitcal procedures which can be used to disentangle the encoding, storage and retrieval loci. Thus, I hope to provide a more accurate description of the memory processing characteristics of L/LDs, at each of these stages of remembering, than has hitherto been possible. In study #2, I will investigate the developmental course of attentional processing characteristics of L/LDs in a unique and important manner. Two types of auditory attnetion will be experimentally separated and examined in the context of typical and atypical development. I have suggested in our preliminary studies that automatic and purposive attntion display different developmental coursed in L/LDs and non-disabled children. However, certain technical problems in the design and instrumentation of the previous work prevented any strong conclusions being reached. The present proposal would permit me to construct the most experimentally sound instrumentation possible and look at these two components of L/LDs attention independently. moreover, I intend to examine these attentional componeents developmentally in order to eventually design a screening procedure for identifying preschool-aged children who are "at risk" for being later diagnosed as L/LD.